Rare 1776 American Declaration of Independence Copy Found in British Naval Archive

A rare copy of the American Declaration of Independence from 1776 has been discovered in the British National Archives nearly 250 years after it was preserved among the documents of a Royal Navy officer. The document was found by Michael Skar, a volunteer who has been cataloging the archives for 11 years. While reviewing letters from a British captain, Skar came across a folded paper labeled "Declaration" and realized it was an early copy of the Declaration of Independence.

Archive experts confirmed that this is one of only 11 known copies of the "Exeter Print" edition, printed in New Hampshire between July 16 and 19, 1776, shortly after the Declaration was approved. This edition was intended to spread the news of independence throughout the American colonies. Notably, this is the only known copy of its kind located outside the United States.

Researchers believe the document was captured when the British warship HMS Raisonnable seized the American ship Dalton in 1776. The Dalton was operating under the Continental Congress, the legislative body of the thirteen American colonies. It is thought the Declaration was read aloud to the crew to explain the purpose of their struggle against Britain. After the ship’s capture, the document was kept among British naval records until its recent discovery.